Charlie Wilson's War

Directed by Mike Nichols, written by Aaron Sorkin, this 2007 movie had a pedigree that made it stand out. With a cast of Tom Hanks, Phillip Seymour-Hoffman, Julia Roberts and Amy Adams the movie was not lacking for top notch acting.

As a commercial release however the movie did not do that well. Hoffman was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor but did not win.

The movie tells the story of Texas Demcocratic Congressman Charlie Wilson and his efforts to help the rebels in Afghanistan fighting the Russians who have invaded their country. Wilson portrayed accurately as a hard drinking, fun loving Texas Congressman is convinced by a wealthy Texas socialite Joanne Herring (portrayed by Roberts ) to look into doing more to help the Afghan people and in particular the refugees that are streaming into Pakistan.

Tom Hanks gives a strong performance as Wilson. Realistically does Hanks ever give a bad performance. I, myself, would like to see him play against character once, play a true bad guy but at this juncture it might not work, he is too ingrained in our minds. Wilson visits Pakistan and is moved by the refugees and their plight. He is shocked that the weapons we are supplying are as good as useless against the gunships that the Russians are using.

When he returns home he uses his position on the Armed Services Committee to raise the allotment to help the Afgan people from five to ten million dollars. When he asks for a CIA agent to brief him on the situation on the ground he is presented with Gust Avratokos, a CIA Agent of huge passion who, because he really does not have anything else to do, becomes Wilson's main accomplice.

Over the course of a couple of years Wilson keeps pushing on the committee for more money for weapons and training until we see him at an appropriation's meeting asking for the budget for the rebels to be raised to 500 million. A colleague asks him where this appropriation started and he says with a sheepish grin, five million. So Wilson gets the job done.

It is a very good story, for me the movie works on all levels. The scenes of negotiations with the Israeli's and Egyptians to gain the Russian made weapons that must be gained for the rebels are very strong and gives one a peek at what the Covert ops world might be like. Why Russian made weapons? So that there can be plausible deniabiltiy on the America's behalf.

The end is telling as well. Of course the movie being written in 2007 gave the makers a clear chance to add a prologue with the benefit of time that hints at what becomes of Afghanistan. When the Russian army leaves America celebrates, Charlie Wilson celebrates and all feel good. We see Charlie winning an award, the first civilian given an award from the Covert Services. However at the end of the movie we see Charlie fighting still for monies to help the Afghans. Schools, hospitals and other non military help. He fails and fails miserably. With the war over, the Russian army gone America's interest has gone elsewhere.

Philip Seymour- Hoffman is fantastic in his role. If it is possible for an actor that wins as many awards as he does to be underrated he is.


Wilson never one to mince words said that " we fucked up the end game" Those soldiers fighting in Afghanistan for the last ten years would be sure to agree with him.